Oil Viscosity Question

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Originally Posted By: Cristobal
As with a lot of BTOG threads, a lot of you guys are not answering the question. I have noted that many times on other people's BITOG threads. It's annoying. It's like asking a question about Canadian whiskey and getting told all about wine from Crete.

I have a lot of different oil weights in my stash. This is just the latest change. I am not going to change it early. I am not about to dump any of it. I am not going to drain it partially, as that is just Micky-Mouse nonsense.

My specific question was about the MMO. A LOT of guys run MMO with their oil anyway. I am at a loss as to why some of you are freaking out over it. Again, will the MMO lower the viscosity if I add a quart, and by about how much? I presume it will.

The car is spec'd for 5W-30 or 10W-30. It is a 1996 Avalon with a 1MZ-FE engine. I have run everything from 5W-20 to 15-W-50 in it over the last 20 years with good results.

My the way, a buddy of mine has been running MMO for over 300,000 miles in his old Toyota truck, a quart with every change.


Yes, MMO will lower the viscosity and increase the volatility as well as dilute the additive package. I doubt any of those three things would be significant. As somebody else said, if you are just going to be there a week, run it as it sits, it isn't worth screwing with.
 
I do not like start up engine tick. I got that once in 2008. I do not want it again.

What do you guys have against MMO? This is strange. It has a place in the automotive world.
 
Originally Posted By: car51
I would personally use say MC 5w30 or QSUD 5w30 if available sir


Earth calling EVERYONE: I don't care to change it at this time! Maybe next time!

Actung! That is final!
 
Originally Posted By: Cristobal
As with a lot of BTOG threads, a lot of you guys are not answering the question. I have noted that many times on other people's BITOG threads. It's annoying. It's like asking a question about Canadian whiskey and getting told all about wine from Crete.

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My specific question was about the MMO. A LOT of guys run MMO with their oil anyway. I am at a loss as to why some of you are freaking out over it. Again, will the MMO lower the viscosity if I add a quart, and by about how much? I presume it will, maybe change the 10W-30 to about a 5W-25.


Sounds like you just want to add MMO...

I wouldn't use it, especially on an ILSAC 30...in addition to thinning (and you have NO IDEA what it will do to the "W" rating), you dilute the additives into the bargain.

You should be fine.

If you aren't you will probably get more predictable results by adding a quart of a grIII 0W40 to it...clearly not ideal either, but at least it's oil.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Do not put MMO in there!! Leave the oil alone; it will be fine.


Agreed; MMO would just be wasted money. IMO you are better off buying a quart of 0w30 and topping off. Then, for the cold starts do as suggested and let it warm up awhile prior to driving.
 
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What grade is recommended for your engine?
If 10W-30 is the recommended grade, you had nothing to post here.
If something else is recommended, the engine will still be fine at -10F.
Those of us who live where it gets really cold and have been around for some decades before BITOG ran 10W-40 in much colder ambient temperatures.
Relax, the engine will be fine.
Do not add MMO to the oil and ignore folks from Socal who've never operated any vehicle in real cold.
Just for reference, 0F is the beginning of real cold.
The coldest we saw here last winter was -20F, but the last two winters were atypically cold.
The DDs on that cold morning had sat outside all night, both Accords of different vintages.
The '12 lit right off on TGMO 0W-20 and the '02 did the same on G-Oil 5W-30.
I'm sure that either engine would have done just fine with 10W-30 in the sump.
I speak as one who avoided the 10W-30 grade back in the day and used 10W-40 instead.
The record low temperature for any car I've left outside and then started was -27F with our old '76 Civic 1500. It had 10W-40 in the sump, of course.
It also had a manual choke, and that was one of the few times that I had to use it.
 
"Agreed; MMO would just be wasted money."

I already have had the MMO for about a year. It is not like I am waiting at the front door of Walmart to get more. All I want to know is: Will the MMO work or not?
 
Personally, and I am verrrry old school, I would probably use the MMO, and not look back. I have used it in the oil for extreme cold a couple times, and use it often in the gas as an upper cyl lube. It will certainly make the oil flow better, although at the expense of some additives, but if you are only going to run the oil another 3000 miles, and it doesn't already have a bunch of miles on it, I wouldn't worry about that either. Although my experience has been with much older vehicles. And this is just my 2 cents, and nothing scientific.
As has been said by sever on this forum, I think we totally over think things. Generally if it has oil in it it probably fine.
 
Guys: we ARE dealing with a lost cause here. Let him dump ANY additive he feels like pouring into the engine, as its his engine LOL!
 
I have started engines filled with 15w-40 at -25c no problem.

If you have MMO I don't see a problem adding it.

Some here call it snake oil, but I have never heard it doing any harm.

For me, it did free a stuck piston ring the one time I used it.
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Those of us who live where it gets really cold and have been around for some decades before BITOG ran 10W-40 in much colder ambient temperatures.
Relax, the engine will be fine.


+1
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Do not put MMO in there!! Leave the oil alone; it will be fine.


^^This times a million!!
 
Originally Posted By: Cristobal
"Agreed; MMO would just be wasted money."

I already have had the MMO for about a year. It is not like I am waiting at the front door of Walmart to get more. All I want to know is: Will the MMO work or not?

Will MMO thin out the oil? Yes.

Will it damage your engine? Probably not.

Is it needed in this instance? Probably not.

That being said, just toss in a pint if it will help you sleep better at night.
 
Saw a lot of starts on days that were colder than -10F in the morning.

Running 10w40 Dino in an old V-8.

You'll be fine in that Toyota.

If it worries you, then don't add stuff to the oil, just run the engine and get it warm before you go to bed. It'll still be stone cold in the morning, but at least you'll feel like you're doing something...
 
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